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yesterday

NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Jet Starts Taxi Tests at Plant 42

Engineers are validating the aircraft’s handling systems through gradual speed increases to prepare for high-speed taxi trials.

NASA Lockheed Martin X-59 experimental quiet supersonic aircraft
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Artist depiction of X-59.
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Overview

  • On July 10 at Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, NASA’s X-59 demonstrator taxied under its own power for the first time, kicking off its low-speed runway evaluations.
  • During these initial runs, teams closely monitored steering, braking and handling to confirm stability and control across varying conditions.
  • The low-speed tests mark the final ground-based phase before incremental speed increases lead to high-speed taxi trials just below takeoff velocity.
  • The X-59’s long tapered nose and camera-based external vision system are designed to disperse shockwaves and reduce a conventional sonic boom to a quiet “thump.”
  • Data from upcoming high-speed trials and flight operations will be shared with U.S. and international regulators to establish noise-based standards for overland supersonic travel.